Electrical exercising apparatus.



F. E. COULTER.

ELECTRICAL BXEROISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28,1913.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

awuemboz FE .Goulter /v lbvwooeo i.

THE NORRIS PETERS CQ. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C.

F. E. COULTER.

ELECTRICAL EXERCISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23,1013

1,1 17,796. Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

2 SHBETSSHEET Z. .155 1 v 6 n \5 3 7777 3 I I A, L mam l I I 2 "T. l9

K 20 fl,

wuwwioz F13 .C'oulier THE NORRIS PETERS 50.. PHOTDLITHOW WAShU-GYON, D c

FRANK E. COULTER, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

ELECTRICAL EXERCISING APPARATUS.

Application filed June 23, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK E. CoULTnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Exercising Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical exercising apparatus.

One object of the invention is to provide an exercising apparatus having means whereby electric currents of the desired strength are sent through the body while being exercised.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of this character which will be simple, strong, durable and inexpensive in construction, eflicient in operation and which when not in use may be folded into small compact form.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved electrical exercising apparatus with the parts in position for use; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the apparatus and the wire connections thereof; Fig. i is a detail View of one of the handles; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus with the parts in folded position.

My improved electrical exercising apparatus comprises a base or platform 1 having a main central section 2 and side sections 3 which are hinged to the main central section 'and which when the apparatus is not in use are adapted to be folded upwardly to form a casing which incloses the other parts of the apparatus as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing. The central and side sections of the base may be formed of any suitable material and to the main central section 2 are secured zinc foot plates 4 which are spaced a suitable distance apart and are covered by pieces 5 of felt or canvas which extend beyond the ends of the plates and overlap the adjacent portions of the side Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Serial No. 775,372.

sections 3 to which said ends of the felt or canvas pieces are securely fastened in any suitable manner. The overlapping ends of the felt or canvas serves as additional means for hingedly connecting the side sections 3 to the main central section 2 of the base.

On one end of the main central section E2 of the base or platform is a battery box 6 while on the o posite end of said central section is a box adapted to receive the loose parts of the apparatus when the latter is not in use or is to be folded and packed for storage or shipment. Also secured to the central or main section 2 of the base or platform are combined terminal and spring attaching posts 8 which project upwardly a suitable distance from the section 2 and have secured to their upper ends the lower ends of coiled exercising springs or elastic connections 9 to the outer ends of which are connected handles 10 which are preferably bail-shaped and formed of metal, said handles having their outer hand engaging portions or grips 11 provided with covers 12 of canvas or felt. The cover 1 of the handles and the felt or canvas coverings of the foot plates are intended to be moistened or dampened when the apparatus is used, thus increasing or facilitating the passage of the electric current from the plates and handles to the feet and hands of the person using the apparatus, said plates and handles being the electrodes of electric currents hereinafter described. The springs 9 are insulated in any suitable manner except at their ends which connect with the binding posts 8 and handles 10 and any number of springs may be provided to increase or decrease the power or resistance of the apparatus.

In the battery box 6 are arranged a battery 13 having any desired number of cells and over which in the battery box is arranged a switch-board 1% having thereon a coil 15, a switch 16 and a rheostat 17 all of which elements are arranged in the battery circuit and connected with binding posts 18 arranged on the switch-board. T he posts 18 are connected by suitable current conducting wires 19 to the foot plates 4; and by similar wires 20 to the binding posts 8 on the central section 2 of the base or platform and to which are also connected the exercising springs 9 hereinbefore described. By providing the electric generating and controlling mechanism and the connections as herein shown and described, it will be seen that the amount or strength of the electric current passing to the electrodes formed by the foot plates and handles of the apparatus may be readily controlled so that while the apparatus is being used as an exerciser the desired current of electricity is permitted to pass through the body of the operator.

The switch 16 for controlling the current from the battery to the electrodes of the apparatus may be of any suitable construction but is preferably in the form of a knife switch and is so arranged in the battery box that when the switch is closed the handle thereof will be in the path of movement of the cover of the box and will preclude the closing of the cover until the switch is opened and the electric circuit thus broken. This arrangement of the switch positively prevents any danger of the electric circuit remaining closed when the apparatus is not in use thereby preventing any wasting of the electric current.

When not in use the springs 9 and handles 10 may be disconnected from the binding posts 8 and together with any other loose parts, placed in the box 7 provided to receive the same after which the side sections 3 of the base or platform may be folded upwardly against the outer sides of the boxes 6 and 7 thereby reducing the apparatus to small compact form.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents and adapted when open to lie in the same plane as said central plate and foldable to form an inclosing casing, spaced metal foot plates secured to said central sectlon, fabrlc coverlngs being secured to the respective side sections, a battery containing boxes secured to one end of said central plate, a tool box secured to the other end thereof, binding posts secured to said central plate, coiled exercislng springs connected with said posts and provided at their free ends with hana battery in said box, current conductdles ing wires connecting said battery with said binding posts and electrode plates and a switch for controlling the current from the battery to the elctrodes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK E. COULTER. Witnesses O. T. HAMER,

BERTHA 'M. NEWMAN.

each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. C. 

